The present invention relates to methods and systems for identification, processing and issuance of server based digital certificates.
In order to secure information transmitted over the Internet, methods have been developed to secure the connection between web browsers and web servers. Secure sockets layer (SSL), recently re-named TLS but substantially the same protocol, is a protocol designed to enable communications on an insecure network such as the Internet. SSL provides encryption and integrity of communications along with server authentication using digital certificates. However, an SSL connection does not ensure the identity of the recipient of the information nor does it secure the information once it is decrypted at the web server. Therefore, it is important to be certain that the web server is legitimate.
It has become common practice to use web server digital certificates to authenticate the identity of a web server to visiting browsers. A user's browser will access the web server's digital certificate when directed to enter a secure session. The certificate, which contains the web server's public key is then used by the browser to authenticate the identity of the website, that is, the web server and to provide the web browser with the web server's public key so that the web browser can encrypt a session key for use in encryption of transmitted data. Since only the web server has the private key to decrypt the user's information, such information remains secure. The web server certificate is issued by a certification authority. Applicants' assignee, GeoTrust, Inc. is a certification authority. Most web browsers are published with a number of root digital certificates (containing public keys) for CA's already installed and hence the web browser will recognize the CA's signature and trust the certificate.
Generally, in order to obtain a certificate, the website owner, the Requestor, will submit a certificate signing request (CSR), or its equivalent, containing the web server's public key, along with other information, to a certification authority (CA) and the CA, when satisfied as to the identity of the Requestor, will issue a certificate containing the web server's public key and sign the certificate using the CA's private key. A traditional method for vetting the web server Requestor is shown in FIG. 1. The present invention is directed to methods and systems for automating the identification of the web server Requestor in issuing web server certificates.